Walker, Odenigbo get drafted by NFL

Northwestern pulled off a double play on Day 3 of the 2017 NFL Draft.

Linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. was selected in the fifth round by the Indianapolis Colts. Two rounds later, the Minnesota Vikings picked defensive end Ifeadi Odenigbo in Round 7.

This marks the third straight year that the Wildcats had two players drafted. Ibraheim Campbell and Trevor Siemian were both selected in 2015, while Dan Vitale and Dean Lowry were both picked last year.

Walker, known as “The Franchise,” is now a part of the Colts franchise after going 161st overall.

The 6-foot-1, 238-pounder announced in December that he would forego his final year of eligibility to enter the draft. That decision paid off when his name was called on Saturday.

ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay thinks that Walker will be a perfect fit in Indianapolis.

“(Walker has) maybe the best instincts of the second tier, or Tier 2, linebackers,” said McShay during the NFL Draft telecast. “(He does) a really good job with his eyes, getting his eyes in the backfield, locating the ball… He’s an inside linebacker that I think will fit in really well in the Colts’ system.”

A fast and physical sideline-to-sideline player, Walker racked up 278 tackles – including 39.5 tackles for loss – six forced fumbles, four interceptions and two returns for touchdowns during his three years in Evanston.

Walker’s best year was 2015, when, as a redshirt sophomore, he was named an Associated Press All-American and first-team All-Big Ten after totaling a team-high 122 tackles and 20.5 tackles for loss, the fourth-most in the nation. He had a career-high 19 tackles against Duke and seven times reached double-digits in tackles.

In 2016 Walker was slowed by a knee injury he suffered in camp, but he closed the season with a flourish, finishing with 105 tackles and 10.0 tackles for loss. He had seven tackles and forced a fumble in the Wildcats’ victory over No. 23 Pittsburgh in the 2016 Pinstripe Bowl, his last game in a Northwestern uniform.

Wildcat fans will vividly remember Walker’s first career start, when, as a redshirt freshman in a 2014 win over Penn State, he posted a team-high eight tackles and intercepted a pass that he returned 49 yards for a touchdown.

Walker was voted by teammates to wear the coveted No. 1 jersey in 2016. The jersey goes to the player that “embodies the values and character of the Northwestern football family.”

Odenigbo had plenty of ups and downs during his Northwestern career, but he ended with a big up when he was selected by the Minnesota Vikings with the second pick of the 7th round, the 220th selection overall.

A formidable edge rusher with an enticing combination of size and speed, the 6-foot-3, 258-pound Odenigbo ranks second in Northwestern history with 23.5 sacks. He was a first-team All-Big Ten selection by conference coaches in 2016 after leading the Big Ten with 10 sacks. The best game of his career came in last season’s win at Iowa, when he played like a man possessed and recorded a school-record four sacks.

A four-star, Rivals100 recruit, Odenigbo was an important rotational player for the Wildcats as a pass-rushing specialist throughout his career, but he was never able to nail down the every-down starting job. He recorded 5.5 sacks as a redshirt freshman in 2013. He followed up that campaign by registering five sacks in 2014 and three in 2013.

ESPN draft analyst Kevin Weildy pinpointed Odenigbo’s strengths and weaknesses in his assessment.

“Odenigbo lacks ideal length and needs to get stronger at the point of attack to become an every-down player. He can be a help in pass-rushing situations; he flashes good quickness off the edge,” he wrote.

Somehow, the best receiver in the Big Ten wasn't among the 253 players selected in the NFL draft. But, in a way, things couldn't have worked out better for Austin Carr.

The former walkon was signed as an undrafted free agent on Saturday by the New England Patriots. The defending Super Bowl champions have made stars out of slot receivers like Wes Welker and Danny Amendola and seem like a perfect fit for Carr's skills.

Carr won the Richter-Howard Award in 2016 as the Big Ten's top receiver after leading the league in catches (90), yards (1,247) and touchdowns (12).

Linebacker Joe Jones, a player who was never able to nail down a starting role for Northwestern but was a longtime contributor on special teams, signed a contract with the Dallas Cowboys.

Jones earned his NFL shot by putting up eye-opening pro day workout results, including running as fast as 4.45 in the 40-yard dash at 231 pounds.